FLUID STATICS

Outline of Chapter 3
The Basic Equation of Fluid Statics

Types of Pressures

Pressure Variation in a Static Fluid

Example Problem

Hydrostatic Force on Submerged Surfaces

Example Problems
 Hydrostatic forces
Turbine
Energy conversion Hydrostatic uplift
Bernoulli equation
 What does Static Fluid mean?
The word “statics” is derived from Greek word
“statikos”= motionless

Statics means that the fluid is not moving, i.e., its

velocity =0; and its acceleration = 0.

Fluid velocity = 0 means that it does not flow.

If a static fluid does not flow, how much shear

stress the fluid is exposed to?
What does Static Fluid mean?

In this case, fluid can be exposed to only

normal forces and behaves as

“a rigid body” – no deformation

 The Basic Equations
of Fluid Statics
Newton’s 2nd law:

Divide both sides d∀ by gives:

 The Basic Equations of Fluid Statics

• Surface Force
z

x
The Basic Equations of Fluid Statics

• Body Force
• Surface Force
• Total Force
• Newton’s Second Law
 Pascal’s Laws
Pascals’ laws:
– Pressure acts uniformly in all directions on a small
volume (point) of a fluid
– In a fluid confined by solid boundaries, pressure
acts perpendicular to the boundary – it is a normal
force.

Fluid statics Chee 223 2.22

Direction of fluid pressure on boundaries

Furnace duct Pipe or tube

Heat exchanger

Pressure is a Normal Force

(acts perpendicular to
surfaces)
It is also called a Surface
Dam Force
 Absolute and Gauge Pressure
• Absolute pressure: The pressure of a fluid is expressed relative
to that of vacuum (=0)

• Gauge pressure: Pressure expressed as the difference

between the pressure of the fluid and that of the surrounding
atmosphere.

 Usual pressure guages record guage pressure. To calculate

absolute pressure:

Pabs  Patm  Pgauge

 Units for Pressure
Unit Definition or
Relationship
1 pascal (Pa) 1 kg m-1 s-2
1 bar 1 x 105 Pa
1 atmosphere (atm) 101,325 Pa
1 torr 1 / 760 atm
760 mm Hg 1 atm
14.696 pounds per 1 atm
sq. in. (psi)
Pressure Variation in a Static Fluid
Reference
level and
pressure

Location and
pressure of
interest
 Measurement of Pressure
Manometers are devices in which one or more
columns of a liquid are used to determine the
pressure difference between two points.
– U-tube manometer
– Inclined-tube manometer
 Measurement of Pressure Differences
Apply the basic equation of static fluids to
both legs of manometer, realizing that
P2=P3.

P2  Pa  b g ( Z m  Rm )
P3  Pb  b g ( Z m )   a gRm

Pa  Pb  gRm (  a   b )
 Inclined Manometer
• To measure small pressure differences need to magnify Rm
some way.

Pa  Pb  gR1 (  a   b ) sin 
Hydrostatic Force on Submerged Surfaces

In order to fully determine the force on a surface

submerged in a liquid, we must determine the
following:

1. The magnitude of the force;

2. The direction of the force; and
3. The line of action of the force.
1. Direction of the Force on a
Plane Submerged Surface
Since fluid is not moving (static), there is no
shear, i.e., only normal forces might exist.

Since this force is caused by pressure of fluid,

it will always be normal to the surface.

This determines the direction of the force.

3- Line of Action of the Force on a
Plane Submerged Surface
Hydrostatic Force on Submerged Surfaces

• Plane Submerged Surface

We can find FR, and y´ and x´,

by integrating, or …
Hydrostatic Force on Submerged Surfaces

• Plane Submerged Surface

– Algebraic Equations – Total Pressure Force
Hydrostatic Force on Submerged Surfaces

• Plane Submerged Surface

– Algebraic Equations – Net Pressure Force
 Centroid Location for Common Shapes

Fluid statics Chee 223 2.43

Hydrostatic Force on Submerged Surfaces

• Curved Submerged Surface

Hydrostatic Force on Submerged Surfaces

• Curved Submerged Surface

– Horizontal Force = Equivalent Vertical Plane Force
– Vertical Force = Weight of Fluid Directly Above
(+ Free Surface Pressure Force)
Buoyancy
Buoyancy
 Buoyancy
• A body immersed in a fluid experiences a vertical
buoyant force equal to the weight of the fluid it
displaces
• A floating body displaces its own weight in the fluid in
which it floats
Free liquid surface
F1
h1
The upper surface of
the body is subjected
to a smaller force than
the lower surface H

h
 A net force is acting 2
upwards
F2
 Buoyancy
The net force due to pressure in the vertical direction is:
FB = F2- F1 = (Pbottom - Ptop) (DxDy)

The pressure difference is:

Pbottom – Ptop =  g (h2-h1) =  g H
Combining:
FB =  g H (DxDy) h1
F1

Thus the buoyant force is: H

FB =  g V h
2

F2
 Compressible fluid
• Gases are compressible i.e. their density varies with
temperature and pressure  =P M /RT
– For small elevation changes (as in engineering
applications, tanks, pipes etc) we can neglect the
effect of elevation on pressure
– In the general case start from:
dP PMg dP Mg dz
  g  
dz RT P RT

for T  To  const :
 g M ( z 2  z1 ) 
P2  P1 exp  
 RTo 
 Compressible
Linear Temperature Gradient

T  T0   ( z  z0 )
p z
dp gM dz
p p   R z T0   ( z  z0 )
0 0

gM
 T0   ( z  z0 )  R
p( z )  p0  
 T0 
 Atmospheric Equations
• Assume constant

 g M ( z  z0 )
p( z )  p0e RT0

• Assume linear

gM
 T0   ( z  z0 )  R
p( z )  p0  
 T 0  Temperature variation with
altitude for the U.S.
standard atmosphere
The atmospheric
pressure distribution
based on the constant
density model (dashes),
the isothermal perfect gas
model (solid), and the
U.S. Standard
Atmosphere (circles).
 Compressible Isentropic

P P1

 constant   T P
 1 y
 1   
T1  P1 
Cp
 Cv

  1
    1  gMDz      1  gMDz 
P2  P1 1     T2  T1 1    
    RT1      RT1 
Constant Density Fluid in Rigid Rotation
When a rigid body rotation is achieved in a fluid, all shear
stresses vanish, and there is no deformation of fluid
elements. The fluid is at rest relative to the rotating
container with a hydrostatic pressure distribution.

Since there is no θ component of the body force,

the pressure gradient in the θ direction is zero.
Example
A water-filled cylindrical container, 20 cm in diameter and
50 cm tall, rotates about its axis at 1000 rpm. If the
cylinder axis is vertical, as shown in figure below , what
are the maximum and minimum radial and vertical
pressure gradients, and where do they occur?
The radial pressure gradient ∂p/∂r = +ρrΩ2 is linear with a
minimum of zero on the axis of rotation. The maximum is at
the wall, where r = 10 cm. Inserting the data, we have

Note that the radial pressure gradient can also be expressed

as 1.09 × 106 Pa/m.
Pressure distribution in a rotating container filled with water.
(A) In Earth’s gravitational field, and (B) in a zero gravity
environment.
(A) Pressure distribution in a container partially filled with water and rotating at speed
ΩA. (B) As speed is increased to ΩB, the depression deepens. (C) Eventually the
container rotates fast enough at ΩC that a dry spot can develop on the bottom of the
container.
 Constant Density Fluid
in Rectilinier Motion
The structural design of the fuel tanks of a liquid-fueled
rocket must take into account the pressure forces
developed during acceleration.
If gravity is the only body force, and with z upward
as usual, these equations become

The general solution of these equations can be

written immediately as
Atruck engine with a sump reservoir (L = 2 ft, W =
0.5 ft, H = 1 ft) is half-filled with SAE 30W oil as
shown in figure; the sump has an emissions control
breather pipe located as shown.

Find the slope of the free surface if the vehicle

undergoes a lateral acceleration of ay = 0.25 g. At
what acceleration will the oil reach the breather
inlet?
Vocabulary List

1. Static fluid, Pascal Law

2. Manometer
3. Hydrostatic pressure
4. Gauge pressure
5. Vacuum
6. Hydrostatic force on a submerged surface
7. Buoyant force
8. Compressible fluid
9. Atmospheric equation
10. Fluid in rigid motion
 The End
Terima kasih
 Example 1
A mixture of crude oil (SG = 0.87) and water is
pumped into a settling tank that is 10 m high and
vented at the top (see Figure 1). After a period of
time, it is found that a layer of crude oil 2 m deep
has accumulated on top of 7.5 m of water.

What is the average density of the liquid column?

what is the pressure at the bottom of the tank?
 Dam Design
Design concern: (Hydrostatic Uplift)

Hydrostatic pressure above the heel (upstream

edge) of the dam may cause seepage with
resultant uplift beneath the dam base (depends
largely on the supporting material of the dam).
This reduces the dams stability to sliding and
overturning by effectively reducing the weight of
the dam structure.

(Question: What prevents the dam from sliding?)

Determine the minimum compressive stresses in
the base of a concrete gravity dam as given
below.
It is important that this value should be greater
than zero because:
(1) concrete has poor tensile strength, damage
might occur near the heel of the dam.
(2) The lifting of the dam structure will
accelerate the seeping rate of the water
underneath the dam and further increase
hydrostatic uplift and generate more instability.
 20 m

Free surface

concrete=2.5 water
y
40 m
30 m
First, calculate the weight of the dam (per unit width):
W=Vg=(2.5)(1000)(20)(40)(1)(9.8)=19.6106 (N)
The static pressure at a depth of y: P(y)=wgy

The total resultant force acting on the dam by the water pressure is:
h 30
 h2 
R=  P(y)dy=   w gydy   w g    (1000)(9.8)(1/ 2)(30) 2
 4.4  10 6
(N )
0  2 
20 m

Free surface

concrete=2.5 water
y
40 m
30 m
 The resultant force, R, is acting at a depth h below the free surface so that
h3
h 30 3 w g
h 3  2h  20( m)
Rh=  P(y)ydy=  (  w gy ) ydy  w g  y 2 dy   w g , h 
0
3 R 3
Assume the load distribution under the dam is linear (it might not be linear if the soil
distribution is not uniform)
Therefore, the stress distribution can be written as
 max   min
 (x)= min  x
20
W
In order to reach equilibrium, both the sum of forces and
Free surface
the sum of moments have to balance to zero

20 m F x  0, R=Fdam,x (frictional force and the air drag force)

20
R F y  0, W  Fdam, y    ( x )dx  10( max   min )
0

1.96  106 ( N )   max   min

min
max
 Example (cont.)
The sum of moments has to be zero also: Taking moment w.r.t. the heel of the dam
20

M O  0,  R(10)  W (10)    ( x ) xdx  0

0
20
 max   min 20
(10)(4.4  10  19.6  10 )   max  xdx 
6 6
 x 2 dx
0
20 0

240  106  133.3 max  66.7 min

Solve:  max  1.64  106 ( N ),  min  0.32  106 ( N )
The minimum compressive stress is significantly lower than the maximum stress

The hydrostatic lift under the dam (as a result of the buoyancy induced by water seeping
under the dam structure) can induce as high as one half of the maximum
hydrostatic head at the heel of the dam and gradually decrease to zero at the other end.
1
That is  lift (  w gh )  (0.5)(1000)(9.8)(30)  0.147  106 ( N )
2
Therefore, the effective compressive stress will only be 0.173(=0.32-0.147)  106 ( N ).